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Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 12:33 Tuesday 31st January 2017
by kibbsnk1
I am looking into my family history and my grandad was injured by a Motor Bus in Aug 1944 on Aylestone Road . I am trying to find out what buses were running the route along Aylestone Road Leicester at that time . Any help would be appreciated .

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 21:36 Tuesday 31st January 2017
by JustinTyme
The bus routes along Aylestone Road in 1944 included the following. I think this is a complete list, but I may have overlooked one or two. The Leicester terminus was the Newarke: -

603 Leicester - Broughton Astley, via Cosby
604 Leicester - Blaby
610 Leicester - Lutterworth, via Cosby, Broughton Astley, Bitteswell
620 Leicester - Dunton Bassett, via Cosby, Broughton Astley
642 Leicester - Frolesworth, via Broughton Astley
643 Leicester - Willoughby Waterless, via Blaby, Countesthorpe
663 Leicester - Lutterworth, via Dunton Bassett, Gilmorton

If you are more interested in the buses used at the time, the best place to start is the "Fleet" section of this website - http://midlandred.net/vehicles/fleetinf ... erview#sos. Midland Red had 1000 or so buses by 1944, and I have no doubt that most if not all types then in use were used in the Leicester area.

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 00:43 Wednesday 1st February 2017
by kibbsnk1
Thanks so much for the information it will help me greatly with my research

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 08:03 Wednesday 1st February 2017
by AdamH
I don't know the Leicester area very well, but I do know Midland Red were not the only bus operator in the city. Did anyone else run services along that road? Leicester Citybus maybe?

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 08:59 Wednesday 1st February 2017
by TimBrown
AdamH wrote:
08:03 Wednesday 1st February 2017
I don't know the Leicester area very well, but I do know Midland Red were not the only bus operator in the city. Did anyone else run services along that road? Leicester Citybus maybe?
In the late 1950's I recall the following operators working routes from Leicester City centre;

Barton Transport,
Boyer, Rothley,
Brown's Blue, Markfield,
Kemp & Shaw, Leicester
Leicester Corporation Transport.
Lincolnshire Road Car,
Trent.

A Leicester WWII website also gives;

Astill & Jordan, Ratby,
Comfort Buses, Ibstock,
Dawson, Glenfield,
Smiths, Groby.

Which of these didn't use the road in question?

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 21:36 Wednesday 1st February 2017
by JustinTyme
Leicester Corporation (which many years later became Leicester Citybus) ran trams along Aylestone Road to Aylestone until 1947, when they were replaced by motor buses.

Actually, none of the operators Tim Brown mentions used Aylestone Road, which runs south from the city. I believe they provided services as follows: -

* Barton Transport - to Nottingham via Syston and Six Hills
* Boyer, Rothley - to Loughborough via Mountsorrel
* Brown's Blue - to Markfield, etc
* Kemp & Shaw - to Loughborough via Mountsorrel
* Leicester Corporation Transport - Mainly within the city in those days.
* Lincolnshire Road Car - to Grantham via Melton Mowbray (joint BMMO)
* Trent - to Loughborough via Syston and (joint with BMMO) via Mountsorrel
* Astill & Jordan - to Ratby and Glenfield
* Comfort Buses (Gibson) - to Market Bosworth via Barlestone
* Dawson (later Hylton & Dawson), Glenfield - to Ratby and Glenfield
* Smiths, Groby - to Groby, but taken over by BMMO in 1935.

The Leicester - Rothley - Mountsorrel - Loughborough road (north out of Leicester) was the most hotly contested route. From 1931 the Traffic Commissioners of course required co-ordinated services. This led to timetables appearing headed "A-B-K-M-T", which stood for Allen, Boyer, Kemp & Shaw, Midland Red, Trent. Midland Red purchased Allen, Boyer and Kemp & Shaw in the 1950s.

Brown's Blue sold out to Midland Red in 1963, Gibson sold out to Leicester City Transport in 1980, and Astill & Jordan and Hylton & Dawson carried on for a few more years still.

Re: Bus Service in Leicester

Posted: 22:04 Wednesday 1st February 2017
by AdamH
Very interesting stuff. Thanks.